“Aye, I can see that you do,” he said, lifting his arm and inspecting her work at his side. “Where did you learn tae do this?”

“I used to be a physician’s assistant in a Manhattan hospital.”

“Used to be?” he asked.

“I … left. And moved out here. I don’t do that anymore.”

She didn’t blame him for his puzzled look. Whenever she told someone this story they always looked that way. And then came the inevitable question.

“So you work out here as a physician’s assistant now?” But she could tell by the lilt of his voice that he’d caught on to the fact that she wasn’t. So she just shook her head. “Why no’?”

“I don’t really want to talk about it,” she said evasively, fiddling with the remote in her hands. He didn’t want to talk about himself so he ought to respect her not wanting to talk about herself. “Are you hungry again? I can cook you something else.”

“No,” he said softly, his big hand settling over hers and the remote, pressing down on them until they all rested together in her lap. “Kat lass, why did you quit? I know your training must have taken a verra long time. Clearly you were good at what you did. And even if it was a matter of relocating, you still could have found a job in a local hospital. So why did you no’?”

“I’m just … I just don’t want to,” she said, knowing he could see it for the lie that it was. She had loved her job. It had been something she could do in the dead of night, in the darkness, and it had been important. She had made a difference. She had helped save lives.

“Doona lie tae me, Kat lass, and I willna do the same tae you.” Well, that was a lie, Ahnvil thought with an internal wince. He’d already told her a fib or two. But it had been in her best interest.

She colored, a pretty pink flush that tipped the end of her nose and the upper shell of her ears, dusting over everything in between until her wee freckles were a fair contrast.

“I really don’t think this is any of your business,” she said, moving as if to get up and get away from his influence over her. But he was not going to let her get away that easily. He took hold of her arm, pulling her back down beside him on the bed. He grunted at the effort, cursing his injured state. He wasn’t the sort who was used to limitations. He didn’t like them. He never had. Not even when he’d been mortal. Human.

“You canna run away from things, Kat lass. They always find you in the end.” He should know. He had run away three centuries ago, freed himself and thinking he would never see his master and maker ever again, and that if he did he would kill the man where he stood. But that was far from what had happened when the time had come. A fact that still grated. But there was a bigger picture than his vengeance against the man who had made him what he was. Vengeance would have to wait.

“Don’t lecture me!” she bit out defensively, but she didn’t shrug him off and she didn’t move away from him. That was when he realized that despite her protestations she actually wanted to talk about whatever it was that had happened. He found himself wondering why he should care. He had far more pressing things he should be worried about. But in all fairness, she had taken care of him, so if it helped her, he should take care of her a little bit in return. The favors were unequal, since she had saved his life, but it was the best he could do under the circumstances.

“I didn’t …” She stopped, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear in a nervous habit. “People don’t like me very much. I don’t fit in well.”

“Bollocks. You’re a fine lass. Fair of face and a good heart from what I’ve seen so far. What more is there for people to like?”

“A sense of humor,” she said dryly. “And not being weird helps. Everyone knew I was … weird.” She exhaled, her shoulders dropping in defeat, as if she didn’t blame them for it.

Ahnvil was shocked by his reaction. He became angry—nay enraged—to hear her speak and, more important, to see her spirit fall away from her. He reached out to take both her shoulders in his hands turning her toward him. “I’ve been in your company for some minutes now, Kat lass, and I dinna see anything weird abou’ you. As far, I’ve seen someone good-hearted with a care toward others in need. That isna weird, ’tis rare.”

“You just don’t know me well enough. If you did …”

“Are you saying that I would find you weirder than a man who can turn to stone at whim? Or perhaps one that turns to smoke in sunlight and calls up magic from things around him? That’s a Djynn,” he said when her eyes went wide. “Or perhaps a man who shares his body with two souls? That’s a Bodywalker. Or how about a woman with skin as black as midnight and eyes as yellow as the sun? That’s a Night Angel.”

By the last item on his list she was agape with shock and wonder. Wonder at all the things he was telling her and shock because she believed him.

“Y-yellow eyes?” she asked, a bit unsurely. She tucked back a fine lock of that pretty sable hair of hers and Ahnvil found himself drawn to the motion. It moved like silk, that hair.

“That gleam like a cat’s,” he said, his hand coming to stroke over her jawline, a gesture of comfort, he told himself. But the truth was he found her delicate features fascinating. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but maybe that was because he couldn’t decide if she looked fragile or like a tough little dynamo packed into a small presentation.

Both, he decided after a few moments. She was both. Tough when she needed to be, and fragile on occasion, like she was right then.

“You better lie back down,” she said softly, pulling away from him almost awkwardly. He could see she was flushed again, all pink and unnervingly adorable.

He was getting too close, she thought, drawing away from him. She didn’t like it when people got too close. Too close meant too much scrutiny and too many opportunities to find flaws within her. Right now, for some reason, his opinion mattered. She didn’t know why, because she had come to live her life unapologetically since the day she’d walked away from her career in Manhattan. But that maneuver had come with a heavy sort of price. The kind of price that had her living alone, in the dark, on a mountain in the smallest town in America.

“Did you want something to eat?”